This section is to introduce you to digital books. To prevent headaches and sighs of discouragement, we will not deal with highly technical issues or specific cases. Neophytes will find clear answers and practical advice to help them take up the challenge.

A new way to read…

Electronic books (e-books) are to the publishing world what MP3 is to music: a new support for circulation, adapted to modern communication tools such as computers, reading pads, even some smart phones. In brief, it consists of a computer file that can be downloaded, transferred… and read!

E-books have numerous advantages: you can get them easily, in just a few clicks 24/7, wherever you are in the world; you can also enjoy them immediately, carry them anywhere with you, and store an infinite number of books… Authors and publishers also enjoy a whole world of possibilities with e-books: they can reach a new public, facilitate circulation of works in remote areas devoid of bookstores, or else export our culture easily in other countries, French-speaking or not. In the end, it benefits everyone, starting with you…

… and it is all legal!

As with printed books, electronic books are subject to the Copyright Act. Files are therefore protected against hacking and transfer to third parties by an encoding system, like a kind of electronic locker. When you purchase an e-book on Renaud-Bray.com, you are given the key for this locker as well as certain legal rights (the right to download the file, to transfer it from on application to another, etc.) that are specified in each book’s information sheet.

What you need to get started

- A computer with an Internet connection, and the

Adobe Digital Editionssoftware to open the electronic locker protecting most e-books sold on Renaud-Bray.com. The software is free and can be installed easily in a few minutes;

- An ADOBE account (with user name and password), that will be useful to transfer and read your e-books on mobile peripheral devices (e.g., your smartphone). Opening an Adobe account is free and will be offered to you automatically as soon as the Adobe Digital Editions software is installed on your computer.

In addition to managing your rights and authorizing file transfers on your different peripheral devices, ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS offers a wealth of tools making e-books easier to access and use: you can sort the books, enlarge or reduce the text size, use page-markers, search for key words, etc. In other words, ADOBE DIGITAL EDITIONS is your main platform to enjoy e-reading!

PDF or ePUB format?

Surfing on Renaud-Bray.com, you may have noticed that some e-books are composed in PDF format and others, in ePUB format. Initially, PDF was better suited for computers (Mac or PC) whereas ePUB was designed primarily for all portable supports (pads, smartphones). However, with Adobe Digital Editions (see above), such considerations on format become irrelevant, as the software allows you to easily transfer e-books between supports, in a format optimized for each support.

The particular cases of iPad and iPhone

The iPad is the ideal device to fully appreciate the pleasure of e-reading –especially since the appearance of an application that allows you to decrypt files! So, to get started in e-reading on your iPad or iPhone, you must first:

- Download the Bluefire Reader application, available for free on iTunes (or in the App Store).

- Open an ADOBE ACCOUNT (see “What you need to get started” above), an operation that is FREE and EASY.

After that, to load your iPad or iPhone with novels, suspense stories, comics, travel guidebooks or cookbooks, you can:

1.Visit Renaud-Bray.com directly from your device. To make more purchases, go to the e-books section, and to download books you have already purchased, go to the My account page.

2.Go to iTunes and synchronize your iPad or iPhone with your computer: Bluefire Reader identifies files that are compatible and allows you to import them.

3.Send yourself an e-mail, attaching the e-books, and then transfer those from your computer to your iPad or iPhone.

Find and buy an e-book on Renaud-Bray.com

To make your life simpler, Renaud-Bray.com has incorporated e-books into the buying process you are already familiar with. And so you do not need to go to another web site or open a second cart: every step is as simple as with other product purchase. Here is a tip to keep things clear on the screen: on Renaud-Bray.com, all e-books are rendered in a sky blue colour.

To find e-books, all you need to do is:

-Visit the Books section on the site and click on the e-books tab in the vertical menu on the left side of the page; -Go discover novelties on the home page or have a look at our “Coups de cœur”; -Activate the research engine pull-down menu; -Read the detailed information sheet for a paper format book: it will tell you if the title exists in an electronic version. If it does, you can access it with one click. Here is the specific information contained on an e-book detailed sheet: the further steps of the purchase process for an e-book (add to cart or wish list, place an order, choose payment mode, confirm order) are the same as for a paper format book. Delivery options automatically adjust to your cart content: you will not be asked for a delivery address if you have just ordered e-books!

Downloading an e-book

As soon as your payment is made and approved, Renaud-Bray confirms the transaction and gives you access to the hyperlinks that will allow you to download your books (one link per title).

Downloading takes from one to five minutes, according to file weight and Internet connection speed.

In most cases, purchasing an e-book on Renaud-Bray.com gives you the right to download that same book on six different applications (computer, iPhone, reading pad, etc.). In the event of unused downloads, at any time, you can visit the My account page and click on the link to get the file. This is really practical to transfer your book on an iPad, or if you ever lose your computer!

Any other questions? Contact our client Service Department at 514 342-2815 (Montreal) or 1 888 746-2283 (free of charge). It will be our pleasure to help you!

Renaud-Bray is not responsible for contents from external sites mentioned in this section.